A positive working photosensitive polyimide based on polyhydroxyimide (PHI) and 2,3,4-tris[1-oxo-2-diazonaphthoquinone-4-sulfonyloxy] benzophenone (D4SB) as a photoreactive compound has been developed. The PHI was prepared by the ring-opening polyaddition of 4,4＇-hexafluoroisopropylidenebis(phthalic anhydride) (6FDA), 4,4＇-diamino-4 ＇＇-hydroxytriphenylmethane (DHTM), and 4,4＇-oxydianiline (ODA), followed by thermal cyclization in refluxing xylene. The PHI film showed excellent transparency to UV light. The photosensitive polyimide containing 30 wt% of D4SB showed a sensitivity of 250 mJ/cm(2) and a contrast of 5.2 when it was exposed to 436 nm light followed by developing with a 1% aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution at 35 degrees C.